Miss SA talks Tourism and Environment

South African Tourism pulled another excellent Durban Indaba Exhibition with more than nine thousand people attending and close to five thousand exhibitors showcasing their products and services. South African Tourism’s aim to market South Africa as a destination internationally and domestically is already showing results if the number of awards and accolades won is anything to go by.

The annual INDABA is the largest travel and tourism trade show and marketing event on the African tourism calendar and one of three big travel and tourism trade shows in the world together with ITB in Berlin, Germany and WTM in London, United Kingdom. It showcases the widest variety of Africa’s Southern Africa’s best tourism products, and attracts thousands of international visitors and media from across the world. However, it is an undeniable fact that the relationship between tourism and environment cannot be underrated. Tourism is an environmentally dependent activity and Africa’s natural environment, wildlife and heritage sites play a major role in attracting tourists to this continent. Ignoring sustainable lifestyles and development is more like kissing goodbye to the multi-billion dollar industry.

The EcoForum team caught up with the stunning Miss South Africa 2014 Rolene Strauss at the INDABA. She shares with Tafadzwa Fortune Ndiyamba her experiences as Miss SA and her passion for charity and the environment. Listen to the interview below